ICC to deliver landmark ruling in Ruto’s case on Thursday, October 8

Appeal’s Chamber at International Criminal Court is set to deliver a landmark ruling in Deputy President William Ruto and Joshua Sang Case on October 8, Thursday.

The five judge bench will determine whether the trial judges were within its power to compel nine reluctant witnesses to testify.

On April 17, Trial Chamber V(a) granted the Prosecutor’s request to summon witnesses to appear before the Trial Chamber in the Ruto and Sang trial, who were no longer cooperating or no longer willing to testify.

The Government of Kenya was requested to assist in serving the summonses to the witnesses. On June 5,  Ruto and Sang’s Defence teams appealed the Trial Chamber V(a) decision. 

On June 14, the Appeals Chamber rejected the Defence’s request for suspensive effect, meaning that the appeals procedure did not impact the course of the trial hearings at this stage or the testimony of summoned witnesses.

This decision was without prejudice to the Appeals Chamber's judgment on the merits of the ongoing appeals.  

On September 1, the first witness summoned to appear attended the hearing before the Trial Chamber V(a), and four of the nine have testified to date.